Gabon Folk Instruments 1969

In 1969, the country of Gabon created a set of postage stamps dedicated to traditional musical instruments of Gabon. While sets of stamps featuring traditional instruments are fairly common, this set is unusual in one respect. It features images of actual instruments from the Museum of Traditional Arts in the capital city of Libreville.

There are a wide variety of reasons countries celebrate folk instruments on stamps. For instance, such stamps can be a way of unifying the population behind a common symbol of identity. On the other hand, a country might use such a set of stamps to highlight the ethnic traditions of a minority population. On this blog, you can find other articles featuring such stamp series from Laos, Ethiopia, Nepal, El Salvador, Cuba, and Papua New Guinea.

In this case, the Gabonese stamps seem to celebrate a national identity. Gabon became independent from France in 1960, and these stamps were created a mere nine years later. Their beautiful presentation feels like a design intended to create pride in a national culture.

The Stamps

Gabon like many other former colonies continued, in general, to follow French stamp traditions and employ French artists. Notably, this beautiful series was the creation of the illustrious French stamp designer and engraver Jacques Combet.

Each stamp features a single type of instrument printed in a monochromatic color on a wonderful background brown background with varied texture and design that unites the series. I especially like that each instrument is placed off center on the stamps. The instruments are from the Fang people of Gabon, but also in Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea. All of the text is on the edges of the stamps, including the country name, the name of the instrument, and the information that the instruments come from the Musee des arts et traditions in Libreville.

Mvet

The lowest denomination stamp in the series features the mvet. The instrument is a stick-zither with gourd resonators. A bridge divides the strings, which the player plucks with their fingers.

The mvet also appears in South America where it was brought by enslaved Africans.

Ngombi

The second stamp features a harp also from the Fang people. The instrument is a type of arched harp and has a resonating body covered with an animal skin. A curved neck, to which the strings are tied, rises from the body

At first, I was hopeful that I could find images from the Libreville museum of the exact instruments on the stamps. Alas, I have not yet found them. However, The Metropolitan Museum has a stunning example of the type of ngombi on the Gabon stamp.

Ebele and Mbe

The third stamp features two types of drums. In front, is the shorter ebele drum. Behind, is the taller mbe (or mbejn) drum. Other than the height, the difference between the drums is how the heads are tensioned. The smaller drum has cords or strings that pull on the head. The taller drum uses wooden wedges pulling on a fiber ring.

Medzang

The final stamp in the series features a small xylophone with gourd resonators. The instrument is traditionally worn around the waist and played with mallets. A straw skirt hides the free-hanging gourds.

And now a little music! This is a traditional Ngombi (harp) player in Gabon. I hope you enjoy.